Optimising tour, cruise& transport operator brandsat destination

Brand audit at destination?

Your pre-travel brand marketing has worked and the clients have booked. Nevertheless, whilst on vacation or travelling, your clients will still want reassuring that they are connected to your brand at every “touch point”.

In your customer correspondence and social media there will be examples that evidence disconnect between even the most robust brand policy guidelines and the reality on the ground. Brand auditing at destination is a pro-active service that identifies improvements that can optimise and leverage your travel brand before clients write and tell you or broadcast their views on blogs.

Increases the potential of competitors’ clients at shared locations switching to your brand the next time they book

Increases brand awareness

At your service

Working within the framework of your brand guidelines and policies, NDC provides an independent, personal and tailored brand audit and report service that identifies ways of cost effectively leveraging both the visibility of your brand and how it is portrayed by representatives at all customer touch points at destinations. NDC’s service can also include liaison with ground handlers, DMCs, excursion providers, and accommodation partners on how to implement the recommendations.

Let’s meet

As a champion of your brand, if you subscribe to the belief that there is always room for improvement, let’s arrange a meeting to explore the potential of piloting brand auditing at destination for your company.

4 steps to successfulbrand audits at destination

NDC’s approach to destination brand auditing is based on a thorough appreciationthat every company has its own unique set of brand values.

Our approach

An initial meeting is an essential first step in understanding your company’s core brand values, current brand guideline policies and where customer feedback has perhaps flagged up a particular location where a pilot audit could optimise how clients connect with your brand. Typically this first meeting may well include your company’s Head of Operations and Head of Marketing.

Pilot brand audits give you the opportunity to trial and evaluate NDC’s service at a sample destination before potentially rolling out the concept at other locations as and when required

Based on the information gathered at the first meeting, NDC will submit a proposal quotation to pilot a brand audit of the customer touch points relevant to your business at a specific agreed destination – including the duration of the audit visit and the agreed evaluation metrics to be applied.

Unlike Mystery Client initiatives, brand audits are not undercover. Service contractors, employees and representatives are usually made aware in advance of a visit and know that it is your company’s objective to work together to improve how the brand experience can be delivered more effectively and consistently. For example, the meet and greet service at gateways such as airports will be observed on multiple occasions during the same visit in order to provide a better evaluation spread.

Following the brand audit visit, NDC will provide a detailed report that includes:

Audit scoping

Observations commentary

Standards of performance evaluation

Illustrative photographs (where appropriate)

Recommended actions

Brand auditing expertise for the travel, tourism and transport industries

Your branding at destinations will encompass not only the visual properties such as correct use of your company logo but also how representatives promote the image of your company when engaging with clients. NDC can offer a complete audit of customer “touch points” related to your business, or if you prefer, we can focus on specific areas of your choice.

The first brand touch point that a client is most likely to have is at travel gateways such as airports, ports, train and bus stations and will often set the tone for the holiday experience. Audits can also include chauffer transfer services. Meet & Greet brand auditing can be tailored to your needs but typically would include evaluations of:

Greeting signage

Welcome salutations

Uniforms and badges

Luggage handling assistance

Vehicle livery branding

Quality and cleanliness of vehicles used

Most tour and cruise operators outsource their excursion and activity programmes to third party DMCs, ground handlers or hire car companies. Because these service providers are likely to be working for a number of travel companies, they may not always fully appreciate or represent your brand as you would expect. Typically and where relevant, brand audits would include evaluations of:

Welcome salutations

Uniforms and badges

Vehicle livery branding

Branding of ancillary equipment (e.g. tents, protective clothing)

Quality and cleanliness of vehicles used

Customer engagement

Quality of spoken and written information

Branding on temporary hospitality desks

Holiday accommodation is often shared by competing travel operators. Are your partner accommodation providers really rewarding your business with improved opportunities to prioritise your brand onsite? NDC can audit not only how your brand is contractually represented at resort hotels, lodges or campsites but will also aim to identify new opportunities to maximise the profile of your brand.

Welcome salutations (Hotel reception and your representatives)

Uniforms and badges (your representatives)

Dedicated hospitality desk

Notice boards

In room literature and welcome gifts

Efficiency and style of hotline response

Local knowledge and helpful advice

Many surface transport companies have their own booking and check-in facilities at public coach and train stations and ferry ports. NDC can audit the process of selling tickets and check-in and can recommend practical and affordable ideas to maximise the brand profile in shared public areas.

Uniforms and badges

Welcome salutation

Friendliness

Helpfulness

Product knowledge

Farwell salutation

Travel documents

Signage & information notices (external/internal)

Point of sale/marketing collateral

Get in touch

Let’s meet to discuss optimising your brand at destinations

Nick’s expertise, enthusiasm and commitment to achieving results is invaluable in helping our organisation to strengthen the continuity and profile of the Eurolines brand - Europe’s leading scheduled coach operator. One of Nick’s key talents is his uncomplicated, logical and cost effective approach to identifying solutions that maximise brand profile.

Our experience with Nick’s consultancy has been excellent and thanks to his recommendations we have seen significant progress in strengthening the brand image across our Group and continue to retain his advisory services